Euro 2025
Switzerland eliminated in four days? Above all, do not relive that!
Men had been eliminated in four days during “their” euro in 2008. Women have to break the curse. Starting by beating Iceland on Sunday.
Swiss jubilation against Norway, after the goal of Nadine Riesen. This is what Switzerland must relive on Sunday against Iceland, avoiding defensive blunders this time.
FRESHFOCUS
- In 2008, men were eliminated from “their” euro in four days: women, seventeen years later, to break the curse.
- There are several parallels which can be drawn between 2008 and 2025. Inevitable to relive the same fate.
- To give ourselves every chance of not knowing the same fate as men in 2008, the Swiss must beat Iceland on Sunday in Bern.
It was seventeen years ago already, in June. Circumstantial mimicry: Switzerland organized Euro 2008 with Austria, the late Köbi Kuhn and its internationals (Les Frei, Streler, Müller, Senderos, Barnetta and others) fed crazy hopes.
They will be showered in four days: two defeats to start (against the Czechs and the Turks), already the humiliation of a match for butter against Portugal B (already qualified, unnecessary victory of the Swiss), end of an adventure that had not even started. Today, the painful memory of this pitfall is walking its spectrum threatening above female heads: to the internationals of Pia Sundhagus to chase it.
This Sunday, in Basel, after The frustrating defeat against Norway Wednesday evening (2-1), Switzerland must beat Iceland. Then to qualify for the quarterfinals at the Geneva stadium next Thursday, against Finland. So much for the ideal scenario.
In the meantime, the memory hangs over, and there are several common points between yesterday, 2008, and today, 2025. No fatality to relive the same destiny, fatal. But coincidences that girls must dribble, where the boys have taken their feet in the carpet.
Doubts about the coach
In 2008, coach Köbi Kuhn, tired, was no longer the man of carelessness. Against the backdrop of internal tensions (eviction of Vogel a year earlier) and touched by private problems (his seriously ill wife), his role was questioned.
In 2025, the selector Pia Sundhage is also at the center of questions. His methods, his requirements, the Swiss infirmary that has filled, all of this was heavily subject to the Euro.
Pia Sundhage, the selector of the Swiss team. Severity of methods, need for results, despite the good performance against Norway, nuanced by defeat.
FRESHFOCUS
She may kick in touch, Pia SundhageStrong the domination of the Swiss in the face of Norwegian athletics, there remains a double certainty: Switzerland has lost this match and it must win the next one, at least not to lose it, so as not to relive the camouflet of men seventeen years earlier.
The issue of the Euro
In 2008, Switzerland hosted its first major tournament since the 1954 World Cup. There was a momentum that was emerging. The golden generation of the early 2000s had already qualified for Euro 2004 (eliminated in the group phase) and for the 2006 World Cup (eighth finals lost to penalties against Ukraine).
Beyond the sporting failure, a generation that settles down (the Djourou, Lichtsteiner, Senderos, Barnetta, Fernandes or Behrami), another that will quickly follow, the Xhaka, Shaqiri, Rodriguez, to name the three main ones.
In 2025, the women’s team was also at a crossroads, with a euro at home. Even more than perhaps: women’s football is in full development in Switzerland, and the competition is combined with the inheritance it must leave.
Popular success is acquired, it must be followed by a political will (Means, infrastructure for women). Switzerland may well lose against Iceland on Sunday and be eliminated from “its” tournament that this should not change the planned development projects.
With a place in the quarterfinals, it would be even better.
Emerging credibility
In 2008, Switzerland only began rallying the country around it. There was this cold stroke, it’s true, two defeats and farewell to the Euro. But will follow: a style, a quality in the game, a lasting return to the foreground. All this will be verified after the mortifying elimination of 2008: Switzerland will gain credibility, it has also qualified for all the Worlds and all euros (except in 2012).
In 2025, the female selection can and must take this path, if possible. In terms of the game, therefore of credibility, which she proposed against Norway on Wednesday evening (especially in the first period) goes in this direction: a will, a quality, an intensity, enough to dispel doubts.
There is a team there in a generational transition that wants to trace a destiny. It is undoubtedly still imperfect, this Swiss in the feminine is not yet at the level of the best nations, but it advances. So, 2008 and 2025, two Swiss destinies, for men as well as for women, beyond the pure results?
«Euro 2025»
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